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Read John Chapter 9

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1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

12Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

29We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

John 9

In short

Jesus heals a man born blind, and this miracle leads to conflict with religious leaders. As the healed man comes to understand who Jesus is, the Pharisees reject Jesus and refuse to believe what happened. The passage shows how some people gain sight while others, convinced they already see, become blind to the truth.

What the text says

Verses 1-5 set the scene. Jesus passes a man blind from birth. His disciples ask whether the man or his parents sinned to cause the blindness. Jesus says neither; instead, God's works will be displayed in him. Jesus then heals the man by making clay from spit, putting it on his eyes, and sending him to wash in the pool of Siloam, after which he can see (verses 6-7).

Verses 8-12 show the healed man's neighbours questioning him. They ask how his eyes opened. He answers that "a man that is called Jesus" did it but does not know where Jesus is now.

Verses 13-17 bring the Pharisees into the story. They question the man and learn it happened on the Sabbath, the day of rest when Jewish law forbids work. Some Pharisees say Jesus cannot be from God because he broke the Sabbath. Others are puzzled by the miracle. The man, asked again about Jesus, calls him "a prophet."

Verses 18-23 show the Pharisees questioning the man's parents, who confirm he was born blind but refuse to say how he now sees, fearing expulsion from their synagogue.

Verses 24-34 return to questioning the man. The Pharisees insist Jesus is a sinner. The man responds simply, "whereas I was blind, now I see." When pressed again, he grows bolder, even suggesting they might become Jesus' disciples. The Pharisees insult him and cast him out.

Verses 35-38 show Jesus finding the man and asking if he believes in the Son of God. The man asks who he is, and Jesus identifies himself. The man then worships Jesus.

Takeaways

  • The healed man's faith grows step by step, from naming Jesus as a man to confessing him as Lord, while the Pharisees harden in their rejection.
  • The Pharisees' refusal to accept the miracle leads Jesus to say that spiritual blindness belongs to those who think they already see.
  • Jesus frames his work as bringing true sight to the blind and exposing the blindness of those who trust their own judgment.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.